The Excursion and Lecture Hall as Two Activity Systems Compared: The Case of Resource and Environmental Economics Class at Africa University - Zimbabwe

This paper uses the lenses of Cultural-Historic Activity Theory to address the question: What is the value of an educational excursion for fourth year students enrolled in a 4 year BSc Economics program at Africa University in Zimbabwe? The excursion is an integral part of a fourth year Resource and Environmental Economics module.This article compares the nature of student learning during the excursion with students’ learning and interaction in the traditional formal lecture room as two different activity systems. Drawing on student reflections from the excursion evaluation forms, this study highlights and explores the unforeseen dynamics and tensions created during the excursion. It focuses on the importance of social interaction and illustrates that an excursion, with its more informal nature, and pedagogy of play and metaphors, offer learning opportunities not always possible in the formal lecture hall/ classroom.The major findings are that the excursion provides a different learning environment for personal and professional development; authentic learning associated with excursion can be promoted and supported by technology.